catwoman7

I"m afraid to even take the thing!

I stalled weeks 2 and 3 post-op. During week 4, I dropped six lbs. As djmohr said, just stick to the program - the stall will end and you'll start dropping weight again

they might be referring to right after surgery, when that's pretty much what most people can muster (although who knows - they may have been referring to sedentary people - not sure). I walked for the first few weeks (very little the first week, though - I was pretty sore). At four weeks out I was cleared to do most everything except weights - I think I had to wait 6-8 weeks to do those. right now (nine months out) I do Aqua Zumba, swim laps, TRX, occasionally weights, and yoga

@@Spinderella - I started out quite a bit lighter than you, but still super morbidly obese, and I worried about the excess skin as well. But I can tell you, it's worth the loose skin. I was one of the lucky ones who didn't lose any hair, but it would have been worth every lost hair, too!!

June person here, too. I still eat about 2 oz of dense Protein at a meal, but I also eat vegetables at every meal (except Breakfast - when I usually eat Greek yogurt with a few berries). If it weren't for the vegetables, I could probably eat more protein - but I *love* vegetables - even more than the protein.

I was about where you are weight-loss-wise at five months out. I was also doing the following exercise-wise at that point (and still do): 2x a week: swimming or Water aerobics or Aqua Zumba 2x a week: some kind of strength-training (usually TRX) at least 2x a week: yoga

yes - 1000 works for me for sure! I sometimes worry about this because I see people eating in the 600--800 range, but then, I'm still losing weight, so... Plus I can't really eat under 800 calories - I just don't feel well when I do it for more than a couple of days. And because my blood Protein levels tend to run low, I'm supposed to shoot for 100 g of protein a day. It's kinda hard to do that on much less than 1000 kcal.

p.s. It'll probably vary somewhat between people - age, metabolism level, etc can make a difference. I'd say as long as you're still losing weight, you're fine!

I'm nine months out and try to keep it around 1000. I'm also pretty active (although not as active as *you* are....)

I lost 57 lbs during the year before surgery (most of it thanks to the six-month supervised diet that my insurance company required). I worked with a dietitian who had me eating 2300 kcal a day, plus exercising regularly. I had to eat super healthy - lean Protein, fruits & vegetables, whole grains. No soda, no simple carbs. Lots of Water. Throughout our time together, she had me gradually increase my protein intake and gradually get off caffeine, so I'd be completely off of it before surgery. I actually loved the diet. I felt great and in many ways it prepared me for post-surgery life - healthy eating, high protein-to-carb ratio, etc. She also had me practice things like not eating and drinking at the same time, and waiting at least 30 minutes after eating to drink anything. So although it wasn't some Atkins-esque type thing that mimicked what I had to eat the first couple of months after surgery, it did gradually prepare me for it so it didn't seem so drastic. be prepared that if you lose a lot before surgery, you might not experience those big drops that some people have during the first month or two - because any water weight you might otherwise lose post-surgery you will have lost long before. That being said, I've lost over 150 lbs - so you'll definitely lose a lot of weight. It's just that the first month or two you might see 15 or 20 lb drops rather than 25 or 30. I'm still glad I lost all that weight pre-surgery and would do it all the same way if I had to do it over again. Again, I felt like it prepared me for after-surgery life, and at this point a few months out, I've caught up with everyone else weight-loss wise.

nope - I did not experience any of this after surgery. I'd been post-menopausal for about two years, so I suspect my estrogen level was already really low.

I had GERD so my surgeon recommended bypass. I don't regret my decision.

I'm not allowed to drink it until I'm one year out

All - I had a dentist appt yesterday, so I asked him about this. When we talked at my last appt, he did say acid was the most likely culprit, but calcium/vit D deficiency could cause problems as well. He put me on that prescription toothpaste awhile ago (super high fluoride stuff that I use before bed). He said that, going to the dentist 3-4 times a year rather than 2 (so they can catch things early), and having a fluoride varnish applied to your teeth twice a year is really the best prevention there is. I asked him about brushing with baking soda - he said it's too abrasive to use regularly. Also asked him about Xylitol products (mints, gum, toothpaste). He said they might help a bit - but that prescription fluoride toothpaste and the twice-yearly fluoride varnish are much better and those alone should be enough (oh - and regular cleanings - I have to go four times a year *anyway* because I have periodontal disease, so I'm already set on that one....)

Thanks for pointing those out! The use isomalto-oligosaccharide instead of soluble corn fiber, so I might be able to handle them and the nutritional info looks good. Only slight red flag is the amount of sugar alcohol, but I think I'd be willing to give them a try. Do you know any brick-and-mortar stores that sell them? I just googled them - looks like Vitamin Shoppe carries them. I may swing by today and pick one up!

my plan doesn't focus on calories, either, but here are my monthly averages. I lean on the high side, but I'm pretty active and also, my blood Protein levels tend low, so I'm supposed to shoot for 100 g of protein a day, which also affects my calorie level: Month 1: 609 Month 2: 672 Month 3: 803 Month 4: 940 Month 5: 995 Month 6: 1013 Month 7: 1079 Month 8: 1048 Month 9: 1007 so it looks like I stabilized at around 1000 at month 5. Since I'm sure everything is healed by now, I'll probably stay around there for quite awhile.

no - but I'd ask a doctor about it for sure.

they had me on puree even before I left the hospital. Was on it for four weeks, I think - then I went on soft foods until month 3.

I also work in education. My supervisor wanted me to wait until June. I was glad I did because I had a couple of strictures early on, and also, strictures or not, I had to figure out by trial and error what foods my pouch would tolerate. There were a handful of times I was in the bathroom throwing up - or sitting at my desk feeling odd. I guess it would have be OK during the school year, but I was very glad I had the summer to adjust to my new life....and to deal with any minor problems that might creep up. I had almost no pain and was back at work in two weeks, so that wasn't an issue - but the first few weeks post-surgery can be tricky. Or they were for me, anyway.

oh yea - that exactly mimics the first few months of the post-op diet. I'm glad my dietitian "eased" me into it gradually rather than had me jump in full force! That would have been too drastic

27 lbs in three weeks? That's definitely on the high end of the range. From what I've been able to tell by reading these boards for the last 1000 years or so, anywhere from 15-30 lbs is pretty typical of the first month. So you're doing better than most. I was allowed to do cardio at about four weeks post-op. I think it was 6-8 weeks for weights.

mine doesn't automatically take them out. He does put his patients on ursodiol for the first six months post-surgery, though. It doesn't necessarily *prevent* gallstones, but it lowers the risk pretty considerably.

I had to eat a really healthy diet, approximately 2300 kcal a day. Healthy as in lean meats, low-fat dairy, Beans, whole grains, fruit, vegetables. She gradually brought my Protein level up (which decreased my hunger). I had to give up simple carbs (sweets, chips, etc) and soda. Towards the end I also had to gradually wean myself off caffeine until I was completely off. I also had to practice some of the behaviors I'd need post-surgery - like not eating & drinking at the same time. I actually was really happy with that diet - I felt very good during that whole time and lost about 50 lbs. I suppose all dietitians are a little different, though...

I've been researching this today as well. A lot of people - including some dentists - do think that overly acidic saliva could definitely be a culprit. In fact, I read a list of symptoms of having too much acid in your system in general - dry skin, dry hair, brittle nails, tooth decay - yikes! I have all that right now except for tooth decay. I thought it was due to not eating much fat, but maybe it's too much acid. Anyway, some people suggested (in addition to regular dental cleanings) brushing your teeth with baking soda once a day, or chewing Xylitol gum. I noticed Walgreens also has Xylitol toothpaste. I'm going to pick some up tomorrow and start using that in the morning and my aforementioned prescription toothpaste at night. I definitely do not want tooth problems!!

well never mind all that - I just googled them, and they don't contain sugar alcohols. Not sure what it was you were reacting to...